The present invention relates to barriers and more particularly to barriers for use within vehicles to divide a vehicle cabin between passenger and luggage/cargo areas.
It is known to provide a barrier in a motor vehicle which extends from the floor to the ceiling of the vehicle cabin in order to partition the luggage/cargo area from the remainder of the cabin. Typically, such a barrier is installed behind the rearmost seats to allow a pet, such as a dog, to travel in the luggage/cargo area safely. In consequence, these barriers are typically referred to as dog guards.
Currently available barriers used as dog guards generally are arranged for stability to be substantially perpendicular to the vehicle floor and ceiling, and are secured by pressure on the floor and ceiling. Unfortunately, many vehicles incorporate an inclined rear bench seat which has a backrest at an angle, for passenger comfort. Thus, a perpendicular barrier will engage the top edge of a rear bench seat create wasted space between the point where the barrier engages the cargo/luggage area floor and the back of the rear seat.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a barrier for use with a vehicle seat, the barrier comprising stanchion means associated with sockets in the seat and arranged to extend in use away from an upper edge of a vehicle seat, there being guard members extending between the stanchion means to form the barrier above the sockets.
Preferably, the sockets are those normally arranged to accommodate a seat headrest.
Preferably, the stanchion means is extendible axially to allow presentation of the barrier over a range of heights.
The stanchion means may include clamp means to clamp stanchions to struts secured in the sockets. These struts may form part of a vehicle head rest assembly. The clamp means may include a tubular member for locating around a strut, and a threaded gripping member mounted in the tubular member to be tightened to clamp the tubular member to the strut.
There may be lock detents operable to set the angle of the stanchion means relative to the sockets. The lock detents may include arms between which a stanchion means is located, and which may be drawn together to clamp the stanchion means. The arms may carry formations which are complementary to formations on the stanchion means, to form therewith an articulated arrangement. The said formations may limit the range of angles through which the stanchion means may be articulated relative to the sockets.
Possibly, respective adaptor members are provided to allow the stanchion means to be accommodated in a number of different socket sizes and/or types.
Preferably, the stanchion means are substantially straight and aligned in use with the sockets so that the barrier is in the same plane as a seat incorporating those sockets. Alternatively, the stanchion means may be angled relative to the sockets in use in order that the barrier can be presented substantially perpendicular to a roof surface of a vehicle incorporating the barrier.
Preferably, the guard members are extensible in order to substantially alter the cross-section of the barrier.
Advantageously, the guard members comprise at least hollow-ended crossbars secured to the stanchion means with slide elements associated with these crossbars so that these slide elements are laterally extensible. Typically, these slide elements comprise hoops secured to two or more crossbars.
The guard members may be adjustably attached to the stanchion means. The attachment arrangement may include a collar means around the stanchion means and guard member, and a cam member movable to tighten the collar means against the stanchion means and guard member to lock the said means and said member in position. The cam member may be a rotatable member carried by one of the stanchion means and guard member, and movable to bear against the other.
The invention also provides a barrier member for use within a vehicle and comprising stanchion means carrying guard members, the guard members being adjustably attached to the stanchion means.
The attachment arrangement may include a collar means around the stanchion means and guard member, and a cam member movable to tighten the collar means against the stanchion means and guard member to lock the said means and said member in position. The cam member may be a rotatable member carried by one of the stanchion means and guard member, and movable to bear against the other.